


Lawless

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, Gun Kink, Gun Violence, Knifeplay, Knives, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Relationship(s), Pining, Shooting, Shotgunning, Smoking, Twincest, cowboy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 00:48:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16398254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Keith Kogane is after the men who killed his mother.Takashi Shirogane is his traveling companion.Kuron "One Shot" Shirogane and his brother Kuro "The Desert Devil" Shirogane are outlaws they hire to help.





	Lawless

**Author's Note:**

> Sa made me watch The Magnificent Seven and I started to ship Goody & Billy so in lieu of writing a Mag. 7 fic I decided to write cowboy Sheiths in response to Sa drawing cowboy Sheiths. You can see the art [here](https://twitter.com/L_Strikes_art/status/1055036715918745601)
> 
> *Edit*: My cowboy knowledge/Wild West knowledge legit come from like 3 movies and 1 music video, this is not about historical accuracy

Watching Keith risk his life should have caused distress but Shiro can’t bring himself to wipe the smirk off of his lips so he turns his face to look out into the desert rather than watch Keith take out a fool. He’s been to enough one on one draws to know how things would play out. Keith would win and they would take home the money in a burlap sack.

Keith always wins.

“On my count,” the man announces and Shiro slides a flask out of his pocket to take a sip still trying to keep back a barking laugh. Anyone who thought they could draw faster than Keith was a fool and quickly learned their lesson. “One… two…. Three…”

The sound of guns going off finally make Shiro look, his eyes falling onto Keith where he stands confidently, legs spread in a calm stance. Keith hates guns but he bears one pistol, given as a gift by Shiro, mostly for contests and in an offhand chance he may need a gun in a tight spot. Shiro would never forgive himself if he let Keith enter a fight without at least one gun.

“Keith wins,” the man announces which only makes Keith’s opponent angry.

“No, no, no,” Keith’s opponent growls.

Keith is slowly walking over to where Shiro lounges on the fence, adjusting his belt and shirt as he does. Shiro tries not to stare. Keith rolls his eyes and shakes his head a little. Shiro isn’t able to keep the smirk off of his face this time and they share an amused glance at one another.

“For real this time,” the opponent snarls. “I can outdraw him any day.”

“Your funeral,” Shiro says and takes another drink while Keith returns to his spot. He watches Keith drop his gun and belt to the ground, leaving his weapons in the dust. The air tenses and Shiro is pretty sure he can see Keith’s opponent flinch and look worried – which he should be.

“On my count… One…. Two…. Three!”

Shiro watches as Keith’s opponent reaches for his gun but before he can even pull it free of its holster he gasps and his hands flutter to his chest where a sharp hairpin sticks out of his flesh. Keith stands still, barely affected by taking a man down with only a hairpin. Shiro shakes his head at the waste of the hairpin – he would have to buy Keith a new one. The opponent falls to the ground and Shiro slides off of the fence to collect the money from the stunned viewers. They would eat and drink well tonight.

“Let’s go,” Keith says as he gathers his belongings from the ground calmly.

Shiro nods and follows Keith back to the saloon they’re currently staying in for the evening. He remembers the look on the man’s face when they asked for one room – two beds – but only one room. Shiro also remembers the way Keith’s body feels warm against his when he’s having a bad nightmare and how sometimes Keith is the only thing he can cling to in the middle of the night. He tries not to think about how Keith makes his heart flutter and his stomach knot up. Especially when he watches Keith take down a man with a simple hairpin.

“How much money did we make?” Keith asks and steals Shiro’s canteen to take a drink of water before pulling out a box of cigarettes to light up.

They walk inside and up the stairs, ignoring the looks from the other patrons, up to their shared room. Keith takes a drag of his cigarette and passes it back over to Shiro while Shiro hands Keith the bag of money. Shiro’s better with the money but Keith likes to count the cash. Shiro sits down on the bed to smoke half of the cigarette; the smoke fills his lungs and calms his nerves. Despite knowing Keith is always fine when doing the quickest draw contest, his heart still hammers for the day when Keith isn’t quite quick enough.

“What’s wrong?” Keith asks while counting the money they’d earned.

“Nothing,” Shiro lies quietly.

“Liar.”

“I just… worry,” Shiro admits slowly.

“Yes, you do tend to do that.”

“I worry for you.” He looks over at Keith, his eyes flickering over Keith’s jawline and the scar on his cheek. A scar he carried from a bad fight – a bad fight Shiro hadn’t been able to save him from.

“Why?” Keith asks and turns his eyes over to Shiro’s briefly before looking away. Keith has a hard time maintaining eye contact.

“Because you take a lot of risks-.”

“So do you.”

“I know.”  _ But not as much as you. _

Keith sets the money down and joins him on the bed where he takes the last of the cigarette to finish off. Shiro’s eyes drift over Keith’s sharp cheekbones and the way his black hair tangles in its ponytail, and the inky purple of Keith’s eyes. His heart pounds hard in his chest but the feeling is no longer from the anxiety of losing Keith. Sweat gathers on the back of Shiro’s neck and he pushes his hat from his head to brush his fingers back through his hair.

“I’m not going anywhere, Shiro,” Keith finally says and they lock eyes which leaves Shiro with a knife in his chest as sharp as one of Keith’s. “At least, not without a fight.”

Shiro dares to turn and face Keith fully, his left hand bracing on the bedspread. The saloon they picked to stay in wasn’t the bed and the bedding is scratchy but it’s better than sleeping on the rocks – at least, in Shiro’s opinion. He knew Keith prefers sleeping under the stars. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Keith leans forward and they’re so close now Shiro can feel Keith’s breath on his face and he desperately wants to finish closing the distance. He only manages to hold steady so he doesn’t ruin what friendship they have now – he can’t lose Keith as a friend because he’s too busy mentally sinning.

“Shiro,” Keith whispers, his voice barely a breath outward.

Shiro lets his eyes drift shut but then Keith’s warmth disappears and he hears the door open and close. Disappointment fills Shiro to the core and his fingers immediately wrap around the flask he keeps on his person. He isn’t one to usually drink, even if he keeps the flask handy, but his heart is heavy and Shiro tips the alcohol back until he can lie down and fall asleep. His mind chases dreams of Keith throughout his subconscious all night.

 

The night air is cold but Keith’s skin is on fire as he storms out of the saloon and into the night. The town is quiet this late save for the rowdy saloon and men taking young women back to their houses for the evening. Keith ignores them and finds his horse instead. He doesn’t think as he mounts the red stallion and rides out of town out into the desert. He needs to outrun the thoughts in his mind before they catch up and knock the wind out of him.

Shiro’s face flashes through his mind and he almost falls from his horse while they gallop under the blanket of stars in the black sky. He only slows down when he’s put some distance between himself and the town. His heart races in his chest and his palms sweat so badly he can hardly hold the reins. His horse nickers and shifts beneath him but they remain standing in the desert with the town to the west.

The way Shiro leaned toward him and the way his silver gaze flitted over his face. Before Shiro he’d never felt any sort of attraction to anyone in his life – love and romance had never meant much to him after his mother died. His father died years before her but his mother had been taken by a rich white man’s soldiers. He could never forgive or forget, and his heart had been hardened forever – at least, he thought so but then Shiro looked at him like he put the stars in the sky above.

Shiro looks at him in the softest ways and he cannot quite place the feeling in his stomach each time he feels Shiro’s gaze fall on him. His stomach tangles with thread and sometimes he can’t bring himself to eat or drink he’s so full from these feelings. He doesn’t want this – he doesn’t  _ want _ to feel helpless around Shiro. He used to take more risks and fight more fights but now he has Shiro and he can’t leave Shiro on his own. The war had changed Shiro and he refuses to leave Shiro alone in this world.

Less risk.

Less vengeance.

They’d met because he’d taken down seven men in a bar and Shiro had approached him and asked if he wanted to be companions. Keith still can’t recall what compelled him to agree – maybe it was the offer of a free horse and safe passage with a man who is known as a decorated war veteran. People know Takashi Shirogane and respect him. Keith is a nobody with little to offer to the world except a few knife skills.

He knows he can’t think of Shiro in this capacity which is why running is the best option. He considers leaving – briefly – but then shakes the idea from his mind. Shiro doesn’t deserve to be left alone because he can’t handle his own feelings and emotions. Despite wanting to put a stop on the thoughts, Keith cannot help but wonder what Shiro feels like when pressing his body down into a mattress, and if they would slot together with ease or they would have a giggly struggle.

_ No _ .

Keith shakes his head and slowly turns his horse back around to ride slowly back toward town. He cannot think of Shiro this way – they’re brothers in arms and nothing more. Friends but not more than. Shiro is destined to find a beautiful woman, give her children, and settle down while Keith rides off into the sunset alone. He can never settle down and he knows Shiro, at least in the back of his mind, wants to have enough money to buy some land and build a homestead for his future family.

Keith knows he is no match for the wonderment that is Takashi Shirogane.

The ride back leads Keith into sunrise but he ties his horse off and slowly goes into the saloon to order breakfast so he can have a little something in his stomach before they set out again. Weariness hangs over his head like a noose but Keith ignores it by accepting a cup of coffee blacker than tar and sits at a table alone to stuff down a few eggs and slices of bacon. The food is greasy but its hits a deep pit of a spot in his gut.

The sound of the stairs creaking makes him glance up and he sees Shiro slowly approach his table and slowly sit down. The sun shines in through the window and catches on the silver of his hair and catches his stormy eyes ablaze. The scar across his nose stands out against how pale Shiro looks this morning – he looks a little like death warmed over.

“You look terrible,” Keith says and shoves over the remainder of his breakfast plate. “Eat.”

Shiro doesn’t argue and finishes off the eggs and bacon slathered in gravy and also drinks the rest of Keith’s coffee. The only reason Shiro would look so terrible is if he’d been drinking and hadn’t slept well. Shiro isn’t much of a drinker but he supposes last night certainly called for a few hits off of the trusty flask.

“Feel terrible,” Shiro mutters after he finishes off the last of the coffee.

“You were drinking, weren’t you?” Keith scolds and Shiro pauses but eventually nods. “Give it to me.”

“Keith-.”

Keith holds out his hand expectantly and Shiro grumbles something Keith doesn’t quite catch before handing the flask over. “Thank you.”

“You ready to go?” Shiro asks and Keith can tell he’s irritated in the way his voice clips and how he won’t quite look him in the face.

“Are you angry?” Keith asks quietly.

“No, I just want to go.”

He wants to call Shiro out on his lies but he’s too tired so they leave some money on the table and head out to grab their horses and leave town. Shiro’s stallion is all black to match the black of his outfit and hat. Keith always admired Shiro’s image which he thinks is part of the knots in his stomach – he comes across as intimidating but Keith knows better. Shiro’s as soft as melted butter on the inside.

“Where to?” Keith asks. They had been chasing down the men who had killed his mother but the trail had run cold fifty miles back and now they were wandering the west like lost dogs.

“Your fleabag nearby?” Shiro asks and Keith rolls his eyes but raises his fingers to his lips to whistle.

Silence falls over them until the sound of dog pads and claws on wood draw their eyes to the wolf Keith calls a companion cross the saloon’s front porch to stand near the horses. Shiro’s horse immediately shies away but his own is used to the scent of the giant behemoth. Shiro calls him Kosmo but Keith is still waiting for the wolf to tell him his name.

“He’s not a fleabag,” Keith replies and they start their ride out of town and back onto the main road. “He has feelings, too, you know. I ask you, again, Officer Shirogane. Where are we headed?”

“I know a few people who might know something about the men who killed your mother,” Shiro replies. “They’re out a few hundred miles so it’ll be a long ride.”

Keith shrugs. “What else do we have to do?”

Shiro snorts and nods. “Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

The next town rests somewhere between an oasis of a larger city and the ghost towns further out and on their arrival, Shiro can feel the tension in the air. Despite them only passing through, he almost tells Keith they need to move on immediately and not bother attempting to rest here but he can also see Keith looks as if he’s ready to fall from his horse so they find the town’s tavern and inn to purchase a room.

The busty woman behind the bar looks unimpressed as they walk in and the room is hot and quiet. Shiro approaches, leaving Keith by the doorway in case they need to make an exit. “Evenin’,” she says and gives him an up and down glance. He can see her appreciation for his physique and his cheeks pink with the knowledge.

“Good evening,” Shiro greets softly. “I would like a room for my companion and me.”

“One or two?” she asks and her gaze flits back to Keith briefly. “Two?”

“Uh, no, just the one,” Shiro replies and slides more than enough coin across hoping to buy her complacency. He doesn’t have the energy to explain their unique situation. “Please.”

“Hm.” She glances at them one more time but nods and passes over a key. “Take the stairs and room on your right.”

“Thanks.” Shiro accepts the key and nods to Keith who immediately climbs the stairs with Shiro quietly on his heels. The ride had mostly been quiet between them which Shiro supposes is his fault since Keith had attempted several times to start up a conversation. Now, Keith is being quiet and Shiro knows silence from Keith is not always good news.

The room is small and only contains one bed but Keith is already going to rest on the floor, propped up in a corner, his hat dipping over his eyes. Shiro shuts the door and slowly eases over to the bed to sit down. It creaks under his weight and Shiro tries not to think on how many people have slept on this bed. Maybe the floor truly is the better option.

“Keith.”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “If I upset you. I’m sorry.”

“Didn’t upset me,” Keith responds but Shiro can hear the sleep in his voice.

“You left in a hurry last night and then you didn’t return until morning. I upset you.” Arguing will only end with both of them in a quiet standoff but Shiro doesn’t want to leave all of his feelings bottled up as usual. “So, I’m sorry.”

Keith sighs and plucks his hat from his head so they can look at each other. “Shiro, I said I wasn’t upset with you.”

“Well, I do not appreciate being lied to-.”

“I don’t appreciate being told I’m a liar when I’m  _ not _ ,” Keith snarls in return, his eyes as sharp as his knives. “Why did we even stay here? I would be comfortable outside.”

The room is small and their anger only makes the room feel like a hot box ready to suffocate them both. Shiro huffs and looks away, his gaze falling to the dust on the floorboards. “Because I wanted you to sleep on a bed for once.”

“Am I on the bed? When have I ever slept on the bed when there’s only one, Shiro?” Keith argues coldly. “I always give you the bed.”

“Well, I’m giving  _ you _ the bed, you stubborn mule, if you’d just get up here!” Shiro slams his hand down on the bed angrily and offers Keith his best glare. “Now.”

The command seems to work and Keith slowly rises from the floor and sits at his side but they don’t look at one another. Their fingertips brush on the bedspread briefly but Keith pulls his hand back and places it on his lap instead. The heart-shattering realization they will never be more than friends settle over Shiro like a wet blanket.

“I’ll take the floor,” Shiro says and slides down to Keith’s previously occupied corner, feet stretched out. “We’ll leave first thing in the morning and if we push, we should be close by tomorrow night. We can sleep outside tomorrow.”

“Fine.”

“Good night, Keith.”

“Good night, Shiro.”

Keith settles down quickly and Shiro does drop his hat over his face but even with Keith softly snoring Shiro cannot bring his mind to settle. The tavern below them is surprisingly quiet but he supposes the town is being monitored by some government agency keeping everyone on edge. No fun in this town but Shiro hopes they will leave without a scrape. Sometimes, a scrape is unavoidable, especially with Keith in tow.

The night drags on and Shiro feels himself snap awake, body covered in cold sweat, and feeling disoriented. He must have dozed off but his neck feels as if something is sticking out of his spine so he forces himself to sit up and massage the muscle into feeling somewhat normal again. Keith is still asleep on the bed, one of his arms dangling off of the side, fingers dusting the floor, hat toppled off onto the bedside table, and hair a wild mess. He looks peaceful while he sleeps and warmth spreads through Shiro’s chest at the sight.

Keith deserves to be at peace.

His body aches as he slowly rises from the floor and he’s vaguely aware he’s no longer twenty anymore as he limps to the washroom to undress and clean off with a rag and cold water. He’d prefer hot but at least the water seems clean and he can wipe the sweat from his skin. He tries to stay quiet so as not to disturb Keith but as he’s wiping his arms down Keith appears in the doorway and Shiro freezes – he’s stripped down to only his underthings and he cannot miss the look in Keith’s eyes.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Shiro says quickly.

Keith’s eyes roam over his body and he replies without pause, “I’ll do your back.”

His hand shakes as he allows Keith to take the cloth and he stares straight ahead as he feels Keith slowly and gently wipe the damp cloth down his back and hit crevices he couldn’t reach himself. His mind turns to his right side and how he’s missing an arm but Keith is the gentlest person he knows. He washes the right side of Shiro’s body as gently as he did the left and makes sure to clean the old wounded flesh thoroughly. Shiro tries to remain calm but the blood is rushing between his thighs and he cannot control his body’s reaction to Keith assisting him in this intimate way.

“There,” Keith says and Shiro accepts the cloth over his shoulder. “All clean. Well, I assume you can handle the rest.”

Shiro coughs and nods. “Yes,” he chokes out. “I-I can handle it on my own. Thank you, Keith.”

“You’re welcome. Come back to bed, soon, we have an early morning tomorrow.”

He coughs again, his face burning hotter than the desert heat. “Uh- yes, of course.”

Keith returns to the room and the bed creaks and squeaks. Shiro remains in the washroom, slowly closing the door so he can wash in peace. His eyes drop down and he hopes Keith didn’t  _ see _ the evidence of his arousal. Ignoring his body’s betrayal, Shiro drops trou to finish washing and redresses before returning to the room and going to resettle in the corner.

“You don’t have to sleep on the floor, there’s room for you,” Keith mutters sleepily from his spot on the mattress.

The bed is small so Shiro is not sure how true that statement is but Keith pats the bed invitingly. He takes a deep breath to steel his nerve and slowly stretches out on the bed beside Keith, attempting to put space between their bodies.  He’s only just released a breath to relax when Keith practically suctions up next to him, his arm draping across Shiro’s abdomen and his head resting on Shiro’s chest. He hopes Keith can’t hear his heart galloping.

“Nigh’, Shiro,” Keith mutters.

He clears his throat, mutters a  _ good night _ , and tries to keep his nerves calm. They’ve slept in bed together before but tonight feels different.

Intimate.

The night wails on in its loud quiet and Shiro stares up at the ceiling helplessly. Why God wanted to torture him like this with someone he could never have was beyond his imagination. Maybe he’s carrying the weight of his brothers’ sins. Maybe he’s done too many questionable jobs in his life.

Maybe he’s just meant to suffer alone in this life.

Keith snuggles a little closer and Shiro feels a smile tug his lips despite his internal pain. If Keith is happy then Shiro supposes he can be happy, too. His eyes finally drift shut and once more his subconscious brings him dreams of Keith and his wolf.

 

* * *

 

Desert heat makes Keith feel right at home even as the sun beats down on them the closer they draw to the next city. The craggy mountains and canyons in the distance remind Keith of his own backyard growing up in a white man’s town. He’d never felt completely at home there, only wanting to run free in the desert beneath the sun. A wild child, his mother used to call him. Nature’s child.

The horses are lagging and they’ll have to rest up soon and spare some water for the horses to keep them going until evening.  They ride off of the road to rest in some brush against canyons rocks for cover. Shiro sits to pull out their packs and dig out a can of beans which Keith supposes is better than nothing in their stomachs under the desert sun. Keith makes sure the horses are watered and fed before joining him and pulling out the pack of cigarettes he always keeps on hand.

“You want ‘em cold or you want me to get a fire going?” Shiro asks but Keith shakes his head.

“Too hot,” he replies around the cigarette he places between his lips to light up with a match.

“Must be  _ really _ hot if the heat’s bothering you,” Shiro says and uses a knife to open the can. He digs out a spoon so they can pass the can back and forth.

The heat didn’t usually bother him but some days were worse than others. “I sweat, too,” Keith points out as he blows smoke over their heads. Shiro slides up next to him and Keith takes a drag on the cigarette before leaning over to pass the smoke playfully between Shiro’s lips and into his mouth.

Shiro freezes and his eyes widen at the contact. He coughs and chokes for a moment before being able to calm down again. Keith snorts. Maybe now they could talk about what he’d seen in the washroom. The image still haunts him and he’d hoped sleeping in bed together would be a hint in the right direction but Shiro still played everything close to the vest. He’d never thought Shiro would be interested in him but last night had changed his perspective on everything.

“What was that?” Shiro gasps.

“Thought you wanted some,” Keith replies and then offers the cigarette in favor of taking the can of beans.

“I- You can’t just- I-  _ Keith _ .”

The scandal in Shiro’s voice makes him smirk into his spoonful of beans which taste a lot like mush but it’s better than nothing. If they had more time he’d set up traps for game but resting in one place too long out in the desert sun like this was not always a good idea. Bandits could come along and they were sitting ducks out here.

“Shiro, relax. It’s just smoke.”

“But you- we-.” Shiro continues to stammer helplessly until Keith takes the cigarette back and hands over the food into Shiro’s hand.

“You need to relax,” Keith says and leans back against the rock face behind them.

Shiro stares into the can of beans but doesn’t take another bite and doesn’t accept the cigarette Keith offers after he takes another hit. Panic fills Keith’s chest as he thinks, perhaps, he’d ruined their friendship by playing coy.

“Shiro?”

“I don’t like you making light of me, Keith,” Shiro says, his voice flat and cold. “I don’t appreciate how that feels.”

“Taking light of you-.”

“You must know,” Shiro snarls and his eyes turn on Keith, full of fury and anger. “You  _ must _ know how I feel about you- and- and men in general but here you are  _ mocking _ me.”

“Shiro-.” Keith wants to protest, to explain, but Shiro is quickly turning to lash out.

“I never thought you the type of man to be so cruel and cold but I suppose I was wrong about you, Keith.” Shiro slams the can onto the rocks at their feet and stands up. “I think I should be on my way, make it easier on both of us.”

“ _ What _ \- Shiro!” Fear drives Keith’s heart so hard against his chest he feels the muscle skip several beats in panic. “Shiro,  _ wait _ . I’m not trying to mock you!”

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t anyone about this, I’m sure they’d have me strung up by the noose if it gets out,” Shiro mutters before storming toward his horse and saddle, leaving Keith to hurry after him.

Keith dashes forward and places his body in front of Shiro’s saddle where it rests on a rock. “Shiro, listen to me, please.” He doesn’t like how Shiro will no longer look him in the eye but he remains quiet so Keith hurries onward. “I wasn’t  _ mocking _ you. I was trying to- to  _ show _ you I feel the same!”

Shiro frowns and his eyes narrow a little. “What?”

“I feel the same about you,” Keith says, fully aware his voice is rising in pitch due to his panic. “I like you- I- I know I shouldn’t or that’s what they say but who  _ cares _ what people say, Shiro? If- If you have feelings for me and I have feelings for you… Then… Then we should do something about it, right?”

Keith watches Shiro’s eyes widen a little and he takes a step back like Keith had slapped him. “Oh.”

“Do you understand now? I- I saw…. In the washroom- It- Seeing you that way changed everything for me,” Keith continues on quickly. “I was going to keep my feelings to myself but if you feel the same way then… There’s no reason to keep them to myself.”

The feelings and words tumble out of his mouth faster than he can collect his thoughts. He blames the cigarettes for his desperate rant because if he’d been in his right mind he might not have said everything so quickly or at all. The threat of losing Shiro is too great a loss to bear – he loves Shiro the way he loved his family, and if they continue on this path, maybe more one day.

“Oh,” Shiro replies, his eyes still wide and surprised.

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” Keith says slowly, trying to slow his mind down and gather what little thoughts he has left. “I understand if you need some time.”

“Yes… Time… would be good,” Shiro replies carefully. “We should get going.”

“Okay. I’ll go get our stuff.” Keith turns to leave but then pauses to turn back around and check Shiro is still there and not leaving him. Shiro saddles up his horse and mounts but with each glance back, he remains at the camp by Keith’s horse. He makes quick work of gathering their belongings and carries them back so they can be on their way. “Do you think the horses are rested?”

“Enough,” Shiro replies and his voice is gruff as if he’s upset.

“Okay.”

The sun disappears behind a few clouds while they continue along the road. The air is tense between them and Keith isn’t sure what brought this mood on; he thought once Shiro understood their feelings were mutual, tension would ease and they could explore those feelings. Maybe Shiro still had a lost love somewhere in the desert he was hung up on. Maybe Shiro was worried what their relationship would mean for their friendship and companionship. Maybe Shiro was just overthinking the entire situation.

“Keith,” Shiro says suddenly, making Keith jump a bit on his horse. “I want you to be safe and I can’t keep you safe with my feelings clouding my vision of you.”

“Shiro-.”

“I think we should… Let it rest. We shouldn’t speak of what we just confessed,” Shiro says, with his eyes downcast to the pommel of his saddle. “Yes, I have feelings for you but I cannot keep my mind clear if I’m thinking of you as more than just my friend.”

“But, Shiro-.”

“Please, Keith.” Shiro’s voice turns soft and pleading and the tone breaks Keith’s heart. “I can’t lose someone else I care for because my vision is clouded by my own heart.”

Someone else.

Shiro must have lost someone in his past – the past he never spoke of, the past he never addressed. Not even to Keith.

Disappointment weighs Keith’s shoulders down but he nods. Nothing is worth Shiro’s pain and he will do anything to keep Shiro happy. “Anything you want, Shiro,” he replies, even though his voice teeters on monotone. “Anything you want.”

“Okay. There’s a town a few miles up ahead, do you want to stop and rest there? We should at least eat a proper meal,” Shiro says.

He nods even though he has no desire to stop at another tavern. He kicks his horse into a faster pace. “We can stop there to rest,” he says, his eyes straight ahead. “But I want my own room.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey, handsome, you looking for a good time?”

The next town they stopped in was much larger than the others they had stopped in and if they kept going hard tomorrow they would be in Altea Falls by nightfall. Olkarian was a larger city so they were able to find a larger, nicer tavern to stay in. Keith is sitting across the room from him, playing a game of cards with a few men and he can only hope Keith isn’t in a cheating mood, because Shiro has no desire to be run out of town because Keith can’t play clean.

The woman attempting to gain his attention slides her hands to his shoulder but he brushes her touch away. An untouched beer sits in front of him and his plate of food, also untouched, is turning cold but Shiro cannot take his gaze from Keith. They had purchased separate rooms at Keith’s behest and they were eating separate dinners and currently living separate evenings.

Shiro didn’t like having a separate evening from Keith due to anger.

“You not lookin’ for a good time, sugar?” the woman asks and bends so her breasts are in his face but Shiro shakes his head.

“No, thank you,” he replies shortly. He doesn’t have the heart to tell her she’s barking up the wrong tree because maybe he’s wrong about his feelings toward women. Maybe if he met the  _ right _ woman he would settle down, have a family, and he could forget all about Keith and Adam for the rest of his days.

She pouts. “Name’s Nyma. Surely, I can show you a good time for a few coins.”

Keith lays down a hand of cards and Shiro can see the men are extremely displeased as Keith pulls the winnings over to his side of the table. A smirk on Keith’s face tells him Keith won fair and square which sends relief through his shoulders. He finally dares to turn his gaze to the blonde woman attempting to now sit on his lap.

“Please, um, Nyma? I’m not interested,” he says and tries to politely shoo her toward a more interested patron.

“Big boy like you, doesn’t want a nice pretty lady to warm his bed for him?” Nyma asks and returns to massaging his shoulder. “You can tell me how you’re missin’ an arm, soldier, and I can take good care of you.”

Shiro rolls his shoulders out of her grip and is ready to leave but then the men at Keith’s table are standing and Keith is following suit. His eyes turn sharp on the unwanted attention. “Sorry, I can warm my own bed just fine, thank you. Please, go.”

Nyma huffs at his final rebuke and walks away to find a new lap to sit on but Shiro is too busy watching Keith to take notice of where she’d gone. The men surrounding Keith are all reaching for their guns and Shiro can see Keith is holding onto the bag of money he’d won in the game of cards. The proprietor of the tavern is quick to snap at them and he holds up a shotgun as a warning, making the group of men think twice, and slowly things resettle.

Shiro eases his hand away from his own holster and relaxes – at least until he knows he can make sure to keep an eye on Keith’s door for the remainder of the evening. Even if Keith is angry, he won’t let Keith be jumped by four men and rob him blind for earnings he won. Shiro turns his eyes briefly to his food to eat a few bites but ends up wrapping the piece of chicken in a cloth and slowly standing to step outside for a while. He leans back against the tavern along the side to whistle for Kosmo.

The wolf doesn’t take long to appear, materializing out of the shadows like a ghost, his yellow eyes almost glowing in the dark. Shiro offers him the chicken which Kosmo accepts and plops down to feast, while Shiro slowly slides down to sit at his side. He stares longingly at the building next to the tavern, counting the wooden planks making up the building’s exterior wall.

56 and counting.

“I messed up, Kosmo,” Shiro says and for once allows his voice to waver on bitterness. “I think I ruined our friendship.”

Kosmo continues to chew on the chicken but his eyes focus on Shiro as if he’s listening. The thought is comforting and makes him feel as if he’s not simply talking to himself.

A heavy sigh slips free of Shiro’s lungs and he lets his head fall back a little to look up at the stars. “He tells me how he feels, that we feel equally the same about one another, but then I shut him down because I’m too afraid of what would happen if we acted on those feelings. What happens if we agree to… to be  _ more _ but then something awful happens…”

Adam comes to mind and Shiro feels his heart sink. He’d acted on his feelings for Adam and now Adam is dead – he refuses to be the reason Keith is lying in a grave somewhere in the desert.

“I can’t be the reason he’s dead,” Shiro whispers desperately. “I  _ can’t _ , Kosmo. I can’t do that to him. I care about him too much for that- but now, he won’t look at me or speak to me. It’s like we don’t even know one another.”

Kosmo finishes off his chicken and even dares to crawl forward and place his head on Shiro’s knee. He always forgets how large the creature is until they’re up close. Kosmo’s head is larger than the average dog’s and his paws are as large as Shiro’s hands. He can easily take down animals larger than his size and once saved them from an attacking bear. He owes his life to Kosmo on more than one occasion.

“You’re not so bad, wolf,” Shiro whispers and slowly places his hand on Kosmo’s big head to scratch his ears. “I know we didn’t always get along but you’re not so bad… Listen, if… if Keith decides to go on his own way, I want you to take care of him for me, alright? Keep him safe.”

Kosmo glances up at him and Shiro isn’t sure how much wolves can understand but his eyes seem sad. Maybe Kosmo has a soft spot for him after all.

“Just, promise me that,” Shiro says and pats the wolf’s head one more time.

The sound of the door opening and people stumbling out make Shiro gather his bearings and slowly stand. Kosmo remains at his side, hackles raised, which makes Shiro frown. Usually, Kosmo is a relaxed creature despite being mostly wild but seeing him immediately on edge has Shiro reaching for his holster.

“Walk faster, you little thief,” a man growls and Shiro’s eyes widen when he sees the men have Keith by the collar and are forcing him forward into the dark.

“I said I didn’t  _ cheat _ ,” Keith snarls but he has his hands up and Shiro realizes they not only have Keith’s knives but they also have the money he’d won. “You took my effects, just leave me be.”

“We don’t like cheaters in our town.”

Kosmo growls a warning and as soon as Shiro has them all in his sights they both launch out of the darkened alleyway and Kosmo’s snarl is enough to send chills down any man’s spine. Kosmo takes out the man holding Keith, knocking him to the ground and ripping right into his neck without a second thought. Shiro holds his gun steady to the man holding Keith’s belongings.

“Drop them,” he says. “Or you can end up like your friend down there.”  

Keith spins around and disarms the next man and the fourth flees the scene before Kosmo can turn his hungry jaws on him next. Shiro leaves his pistol at the thug’s head until he hands over Keith’s effects and the money.

“Get out of here,” Shiro says and gives the thug a shove.

Keith kneels down at Kosmo’s side and throws his arms around him in a tight hug. “Good boy,” Keith praises. “Such a good dog.”

A soft smile pulls Shiro’s mouth but he refrains from offering a hug of his own despite being glad to see Keith in one piece. If they hadn’t been there, he’s not sure if Keith could have scraped his way out of the situation alive.

“And thank you,” Keith says and turns his eyes up to Shiro. “I know sometimes I bite off more than I can chew.”

“Just tell me if you won that money fair and square. No cheating,” Shiro replies and still keeps his distance.

“I won it, Shiro, I didn’t cheat. I swear you can check my sleeves yourself.” Keith holds up his hands but Shiro believes him.

“I believe you, Keith.”

“Good. You think that other guy will come back with friends?” Keith asks but he doesn’t sound worried.

“Probably not.”

“Mm. Good.”

“I guess we should get some shut eye.” Shiro does offer his hand which Keith accepts and they leave Kosmo to head back inside to their separate rooms upstairs. Shiro stares at his closed door, holding the key in his hand, and a knot forms in his stomach solidly. There are so many words he wishes to say but they’re all lodged in his throat, permanently stuck.

“Leave at dawn?” Keith asks and the sound of his door opening makes Shiro’s heart shiver.

“Yes,” he replies quietly.

“Good night.”

The sound of the door shutting makes his heart shiver and then shatter. Shiro’s shoulders slump and he slowly steps into his own room to stare at the lonely bed knowing he’d done this to himself. He could have had Keith with him – on him, under him – but he’d chosen a different route. A weary sigh leads him to the bed and Shiro collapses face first without bothering to take anything off.

For once, Shiro only dreams of darkness.

 

Morning burns fire through Shiro’s hair and gives him a ringed halo and Keith cannot help but stare while he sprinkles water on his face, slicks his hair back, and places his hat back on his head. Keith’s heart almost smacks hard to the ground by falling out of his gut but he forces his eyes to return to the road ahead.

“Where exactly are we headed, Shiro?” Keith asks as they start up again.

“Altea Falls, I have a few friends out there that tend to know a lot about… Well, about what happened to your parents, it happened to them, too,” Shiro says slowly. “The same men did the same thing to a friend’s parents much like your mom.”

“And how long have you known this?” Keith asks, his eyes slowly narrowing.

“I wasn’t sure, completely, about the hunch,” Shiro replies. “But the more I’ve thought on it, the more I’ve learned from you, the more I realized I’m pretty sure it’s the same men. Same exact tactics used on your mom were used on another town. It’s terrible.”

Keith frowns and drops his eyes down to the pommel on his saddle and wonders if Shiro had withheld this information for any other reason than what he claimed. He didn’t like doubting Shiro – he didn’t like having small seedlings sprout in his mind but the tension between them now only seemed to fuel his anger.

“I swear, Keith, I didn’t keep this from you on purpose. I just wasn’t really sure and I’m still not really one hundred percent sure but I know the trail went cold a while ago and maybe they can help us.”

He hums and urges his horse toward the road and Shiro follows suit. They’re almost out of town when a black horse and rider appear up ahead, silhouetted by the sun. Keith draws up short and he feels Shiro automatically pull his horse just a little in front of Keith’s. Despite everything, Shiro always rose to protect him in any situation.

“Brother,” comes a cold voice Keith doesn’t know but reminds him of Shiro’s. Colder. Flatter. Deadlier.

“Kuron…” Shiro gasps and Keith’s eyes fly to Shiro’s, watching them widen and for a moment Shiro looks genuinely afraid. He’s never seen Shiro be afraid – not like this – not so visceral and heart-wrenching.

The rider turns so his face is no longer obscured and Keith notes he has long black hair hanging around his shoulders with a streak of white in his bangs. His face is handsome but tired with sharp cheekbones and a dusting of scruff along his sharp jawline. If put side by side and if they had similar hair, Keith knew they would be completely identical. They even have the same exact scar.

Thinking about it, Keith realizes they’ve never discussed Shiro’s scar or how it had come to be but now he’s itching with curiosity. He’d heard of Kuron “One Shot” Shirogane – anyone outside of Texas has heard of One Shot Kuron, the Outlaw, but he’d never put two and two together. Shiro has mentioned brothers in the past but only once and they never discussed the issue again.

“Long time no see,” Kuron says and a slow, rattlesnake grin spreads across Kuron’s face as he leans against the pommel of his saddle casually. “Who’s your friend?”

“Not your business,” Shiro snarls.

“He’s pretty to look at,” Kuron says and Keith feels his face immediately flame. “Prettier than Adam.”

“Kuron, that’s  _ enough _ .” Shiro’s hand lands on his holster but he doesn’t draw.

_ Adam _ .

Another ghost from Shiro’s past he refuses to discuss. Maybe the loved one he lost.

“What do you want?” Shiro continues but Keith can tell he’s nervous and ready to flee.

“Saw you came into town last night, thought I’d say hello,” Kuron replies with a casual shrug.

“Where’s Kuro?”

“Out.”

“Doing what?”

Kuron’s smile widens. “What he does best.”

Shiro shudders and Keith already knows what Kuro is probably doing. The twins are the deadliest gunslingers and assassins in the West. They have a reputation of murder, robbery, and large heists. Keith remembers a time when he almost looked to people like Kuron and Kuro was heroes but now in his adult years he knows they’re bad men. Bad men who should be paying the price behind bars but will probably never be caught.

“Is that all you wanted? To say hello?” Shiro asks and his hand tightens on his pistol.

“You know I’d never hurt you, baby brother,” Kuron replies. “Or your friends. You’re family, whether you like it or not. I wouldn’t bring you harm purposefully and it hurts me you think I would.”

“What do you  _ want _ , Kuron?”

“Join us, Shiro. We miss having the family all together,” Kuron says. “Your friend can come, too.”

“Never.”

Keith frowns and looks Kuron over. If the rumors are true, Kuron and his brother Kuro could be a serious advantage against an even larger group of bad men. “Shiro, wait. Reconsider.”

Shiro wheels around and he looks surprised to see him as if he’d forgotten Keith was behind him. “ _ What _ ?”

Kuron laughs. “I like him. What’s your name, kid?”

“Keith,” he replies before Shiro can answer for him. “Can I hire your services?”

“Keith-.”

“I want the men who killed my mother  _ dead _ , and if that means I have to pay a few criminals to help me, I will,” he says coldly, his eyes turning to Kuron. “How much for your services?”

“Depends on what I’m doing,” Kuron replies. “But since you’re a friend of the family, let’s just name that price later, okay?” Kuron’s grin returns and the sound of another rider rounding the corner draws all of their attention to yet another black horse carrying another rider in all black. Clearly, the Shirogane brothers (triplets) have a clear aesthetic.

“Kashi,” the new man greets, his face as identical as the others, including the scar, but his eyes are an unsettling yellow and his hair cropped short like Shiro’s.

“Kuro,” Shiro replies shortly.

“We have a new job, Kuro,” Kuron says with a big grin. “So, kid, lead the way."  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://pining-sheith.tumblr.com/) & [twitter](https://twitter.com/pining_sheith)


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